


Start to Melt

by chiasmus



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Developing Relationship, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-27
Updated: 2011-07-27
Packaged: 2017-10-21 20:08:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/229242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chiasmus/pseuds/chiasmus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-beach AU. Charles tries to help Erik find a way to achieve a state of calm on his own. Erik ends up unintentionally bonding with their newest "recruit" and things normalize a little in the process. This is also a response to two prompts a friend gave me: "aluminum" and "audience".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Start to Melt

**Author's Note:**

> I took selective pieces of Jean's general back story and re-purposed them for the fic; the movies tend to do that thing so I don't feel too bad. Title from the Peter Bjorn and John song of the same name.

There is one thing Erik and Charles still agree upon and that's the need to find others of their kind.

The list of coordinates printed from Cerebro had been extensive and there were still ones they hadn't visited given previous time constraints. This is what they work with while Hank begins to recreate the installation at the mansion. They don't have to pick up the same way they left off since they have Azazel now to take them where they need to go, quick as blinking, but in the case of Jean Grey it's within a comparatively reasonable distance, so they revisit conventional means this time.

It's Charles' idea, but Erik likes driving. They don't talk much on the way.

Upon arrival they learn that Jean is in a nearly catatonic state and has been for over a year. Her parents have consulted a number of specialists over the past months to no avail, so when Charles is actually able to help her, that gives them leverage. He's more honest with her parents than he might be otherwise, because of Jean's age – she's not even a teenager yet – and the effect her telepathy has on her. That doesn't mean he tells them everything, or even mentions the word mutation, but Charles can be good at winning people's trust. He makes a decent case why, for her own benefit, Jean should come to their “school”. She doesn't leave with them that day, but Charles promises to keep in contact so they can further discuss the matter.

“Some school,” Erik says once they're back in the car. “There are five students, one professor, and three people you don't know what to do with.”

Charles gives him a weary look. Erik knows that Charles wants him to help foster the safe-haven he thinks he can offer, when what Erik needs to be doing is getting them ready for a war that is bound to come sooner rather than later. “It's a start,” Charles replies.

 _Not a good one_ , Erik thinks.

–

There were two victories that day on the beach: the first was that Erik killed Shaw; the second was that there were no casualties among their ranks. Erik wanted a third against the humans who would turn on them. It would have been so easy to start it all there, but it would have fractured them and the cost of division was too high; instead they all returned to Westchester, even though it continues to feel like an imperfect, transitory solution.

–

 

Erik remains in a constant state of _almost_ leaving to recruit on his terms alone, but his feet never take him further than the edge of the grounds. He wants to return to the offensive and strike before the humans are at their door, but Charles insists that such action is an unnecessary risk to them all. Most of the conversations he has with Charles are various permutations of the same argument as they continue their ideological war of attrition over the question of _what do we do now?_.

–

Over the next two weeks Charles is in more contact with the Greys than Erik thinks is necessary. His efforts pay off, though, since when he goes off by himself one day he comes back with the kid in tow. Erik knows that Jean belongs there with them, but it's still disconcerting how young she is. Then again, if he thinks about his own life when he was around her age, he knows it could be worse.

–

The first step towards something different occurs when Charles seeks Erik out one night after Jean's been put to bed. Erik wonders if Charles is going to try to reason with him again about the need for a peaceful coexistence, but instead Charles says something different.

“We should resume your training.”

“What do you mean?”

“You still need to learn how to calm your mind without me telling you,” Charles says. “Otherwise you'll never figure out the necessary balance on your own.”

Erik can admit Charles has a point, since he has thus far had Charles as an anchoring point. Why Charles is still willing to aid him in this confuses Erik, since when – _if_ , it's still if, he reminds himself – they stand on opposite sides Erik will be that much stronger.

 _Because I remain, as you would put it, an optimistic fool._ Erik hears the words in his mind. It's the first time in days, and with them comes the realization that he's missed this kind of contact from Charles. There are any number of justifications to not let Charles into his head, but Erik ignores them all. _And for the same reason you aren't wearing the helmet right now,_ Charles adds.

Erik gives the slightest nod of acknowledgment. It's a sign of trust and friendship and a complicated mess of other things. He doesn't want to lose Charles, but their paths seem set on diverging. It's senseless and therefore frustrating, because they want the same things – at least Erik thinks they do. They just can't agree on the means of how to get there and it's making the divisions clearer.

“Let's start with meditation,” Charles says, voice suddenly strained.

–

Erik hates meditation, or at least Charles' version of it.

It isn't that he can't be still, it isn't that he can't be single-minded – he just needs a reason, a purpose, for both of those things, and achieving a state of tranquility isn't enough in and of itself. He instead starts to tie the fire poker into a knot, slowly and quietly, and waits to see how long it takes Charles to notice.

At least a few minutes pass before Charles sighs and says, “This clearly isn't working.”

“How very astute of you,” Erik says drily.

“You won't derive anything from it if you don't try. You need to focus.”

“You need to give me something to focus _on_.” Something other than his breathing, since Erik already knows how to regulate that, and there are too many predatory connotations interwoven to be undone now.

Charles watches as Erik rights the fire poker back into some semblance of it's original shape. It seems to give him an idea.

–

 _Origami_. It's paper folding as far as he knows, but Charles somehow makes it sound like a challenge. Erik knows he shouldn't be baited into agreeing – he thinks it's an otherwise ridiculous idea – but he decides to try it out anyway.

–

There are packages of aluminum foil in the study the next day. Charles meets Erik early in the afternoon, shows him in paper the folds needed to make a very basic rectangular box, and then imprints the knowledge in Erik's mind as well when Erik gives him an impatient look. He leaves after that to go help Hank.

The foil is metal, but it's flimsy and structured in an odd way, so it takes Erik a few tries before he's able to tear off an even piece that he can start working with. It requires a more careful precision than he normally utilizes – he's more likely to rely on power, or the tasks are simple, everyday ones that he's done so long they're second nature. With the hours that pass, there end up being more crumpled balls of aluminum than anything resembling a box.

Erik ends up frustrated, but less so than before, and he's stubborn enough to not write off the exercise entirely. Charles returns later with a bottle of wine. He looks around with a mixture of amusement and something that resembles affection at the aftermath of Erik's failed attempts. Erik gives him an irritated look, though there's no ire behind it.

Charles offers Erik a drink. Erik accepts, their fingers brushing as he takes his glass. They have kept a wary distance free of casual touches since they returned, which is why Erik feels too aware of the contact now. It's impossible to be sure who moves first, but Charles leans forward and Erik tilts his head, their lips still fitting perfectly together.

–

Charles dotes on Jean with a level of patience and care that borders the line between touching and ridiculous as he helps her acclimate to being part of the world that is the mansion. He knows what the state of Jean's mind was like when they first found her, and even though Erik is curious, he doesn't ask beyond what's pertinent: that she's a telepath, like Charles, and it's already almost gotten her killed. Charles has placed a mental block until she can be better trained to control that aspect of her powers.

This is why Jean has no reservations about Erik – she doesn't know what he's capable of doing. Erik knows that she'll figure out soon enough, but for now he doesn't interfere with Charles keeping her sheltered. In return, Charles reluctantly agrees to let Erik begin a new round of combat training with the older kids. It gives Erik something else to do and a more valid reason for staying; Azazel and Janos contribute as well.

–

Jean also has the power of telekinesis, which Charles is helping her strengthen, and a tendency to follow Charles wherever he goes.

This includes when Charles checks on, and sometimes observes, the progress of Erik's personal training on the days he practices it. Charles doesn't usually hang around too long – the shared drink that one night hasn't yet happened again – either unwilling or unable to, maybe some combination of both. The third afternoon of this Jean stays behind when Charles leaves, and continues watching Erik with interest. She's quiet for a kid and seems to be in some kind of internalized pain that Erik can identify in a general sense, even if he doesn't know the details. Erik doesn't offer her sympathy, but he accepts her company.

It's a few hours later when Charles returns. Jean greets him with more animation than Erik has seen from her previously, hurrying to his side. Charles gives her a warm smile, then looks over at Erik as well, including him in it. “Dinnertime! The others are already downstairs. I cooked tonight,” Charles announces, sounding too pleased with himself.

Erik considers passing, but they both stand there, watching him expectantly. He gives them both an exasperated look, even as he walks over to join them. He falls into step beside Charles, Jean trailing after them, as they go down to the dining room.

–

Erik has progressed to making different animals, more complicated containers, and a few flowers out of the aluminum foil. Charles probably picks these objects on purpose, though each one generally proves in some way more challenging than the last. Erik isn't flawless yet, but he has improved.

“Can I try?” Jean asks a couple days later.

“If you want to,” Erik says.

Jean doesn't move, and Erik spares her a glance. She has an intense look of concentration as she floats one of the boxes of foil over to her. She tears off a piece, but other than that stops using her hands. He knows it's different for her, that she doesn't feel the metal the way he does, but she starts folding without touching and it looks similar, if much slower because she has far less practice. He smiles slightly when she makes a mistake and frowns at the offending piece of foil before curling it up and tossing it away.

“I'll show you one that's easier,” Erik offers, going back to the first one Charles showed him that she hadn't been around for.

–

The next day Jean shows up on her own without Charles accompanying her. Erik's sore and bruised since Azazel got a couple of good hits during a hand-to-hand demonstration today. There's a part of him that's tempted to tell her to find something else to do, but when she seems as excited to see him as she usually is to see Charles, it's less annoying than he expects it to be. The words of dismissal that form in his mind never quite make it further than that.

–

“Look what Mr. Lehnsherr taught me today!” Jean says, hurrying over to show Charles the lopsided crane Erik had helped her fold, clearly proud of herself.

“That's very good,” Charles says encouragingly. It really isn't, but Charles gives him a bemused look accompanied by the thought _don't ruin it, you weren't any better_. “Did you do it this way –” Charles mimes folding the paper with his hands “– or this way?” he asks, wiggling his fingers near his head. Erik rolls his eyes; Jean's back is to him, so only Charles can see.

“This way,” Jean says, mimicking Charles' second action.

“Even better. Mr. Lehnsherr –” Erik glares at Charles, but Charles continues undeterred, “– is a good teacher, isn't he?”

“Yes!” Jean agrees, glancing back at Erik. He's still glaring, but she doesn't seem bothered by this. He wonders if he's going soft, or maybe he just doesn't smile much at her in the first place. “Is it time to eat?” she asks, looking up at Charles again.

Charles nods and quirks a brow at him. “Joining us, Erik?”

“Why not,” Erik says flatly.

–

Erik doesn't understand why Jean seems to enjoy his company while remaining reserved around everyone else except Charles. He barely has anything to say to her and one day he just scowls in her direction hoping she'll take the hint, but of course she's twelve and doesn't. Despite what Charles thinks Erik isn't teaching her anything, or at least not anything useful. It has helped Erik insofar as improving his precision, but he can't imagine it would function as any sort of strength exercise since it's more concentration than effort that goes into it. Whether or not it's helping him gain better control over calming himself has yet to be truly proven and probably won't be until the next moment he's infuriated.

Gradually, Erik stops showing up in the study as often. There's no point in technical practicing when he feels he's learned what he needs to know. Jean still finds him – sometimes with Charles' help – to show him what she's done on her own, usually leaving him with an unnecessary bouquet of aluminum flowers or a pack of whatever animal she seems to have chosen for the day.

“You should learn something new,” Erik says one day in desperation, hoping this might distract her.

“What will you teach me?” Jean instead asks eagerly.

“I was thinking Charles could do that.”

“Mr. Xavier is, but you're better at this part since you can move things, too.”

“Only metal,” Erik says, though he admittedly feels a little smug.

“That's still a lot.”

Erik thinks about this. “I guess you might as well start learning about projectile weapons.”

–

It's later in the night and Erik has retreated to his bedroom when there's a knock at the door. _Can I come in?_ Charles asks.

Erik lifts a hand and slides the locking mechanisms free in response.

“Projectiles? Really, Erik?” Charles asks as soon as he enters, though he doesn't sound that bothered by it. Mostly he sounds tired.

“The enemy wouldn't go easy on her just because she's a kid,” Erik points out.

Charles sits on the far edge of Erik's bed. He's still dressed in his clothes from the day, though he's lost the sweater and his sleeves are rolled up to his elbows. “She won't be in danger.”

“There's no way either of us can guarantee that as long as there's a threat to us out there,” Erik says.

“We can try.”

“If we fail, trying means nothing. I should know.”

Charles bites his lower lip and doesn't say anything. Erik takes a closer look at him, and Charles looks completely exhausted, like he hasn't been sleeping much.

 _That's because I haven't been._

Erik wonders why, but Charles doesn't offer any kind of explanation. Arguing with Charles when he's too tired to put any real effort into it doesn't count as a victory, so Erik instead reaches out to draw Charles the rest of the way to him. Charles projects an impression of gratitude, and Erik thinks that he should just enjoy it while he can.

“You're still thinking of going,” Charles says, head now in Erik's lap, and it isn't a question.

Erik strokes his fingers through Charles' hair without thinking about it. He's quiet, because any definitive reassurance would be a lie. “I'm here now,” he says, because that's the best he can offer.

“I still could stop you leaving.” The words are an echo of what Charles said when they first met. They would be the wrong ones to bring up now, except Erik will always remember how the rest of it goes.

“But you won't,” Erik finishes for him, and he knows that much is true. Charles can be cavalier about entering other people's minds and doing whatever he has to in a given situation, but Charles hasn't ever done that to him. Whatever else, Erik loves Charles a little for that reason alone. Charles makes a quiet sound that Erik isn't sure how to interpret. Then Charles is sitting up and pressing his hand flat against Erik's chest to keep him in place as he kisses him, and Erik's fingers, still carded in Charles' hair, tighten.

 _You can do a lot of good here. You already have with the other children, and with Jean –_

 _Shut up_ , Erik thinks, and, for now, Charles does.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't decided yet if this is part of something larger, or a standalone.


End file.
